12 Hours in Nelson

That day was really a long day for me, even though I stayed in Nelson for only around 13 hours.
First of all, I took the domestic flight from Auckland to Nelson and finally arrived here at 6pm, and I spent the next 1 hour in the airport to charge up my phone.

Before that, I had a plan, after leaving the airport I will be going to the 24-hours McDonald in Rutherford Street, which is 7km away from the airport. I was thinking that maybe I can walk there, it will take me around like 90 mins to 2 hours, but in the end, I took a taxi and my $26 was gone. (The taxi fare starts with $3 and $3 for every km travelled)

When I arrived in the McDonald I thought everything was going to go well, until I found out that all the electric sockets are cut off by the manager, he said it was for safety purpose. (bullshit!) So I had no choice, I used the remaining battery to watch Star Wars 5 until 11.30pm when one of the employee told me they will be closing the dine-in section at 12am, WTF? I thought it was supposed to be 24 hours...

I got no choice but to leave McDonald and look for some accommodations. I went to The Palace Backpackers, Bridge Street Backpackers and YHA Hostel but all the receptions are closed. I changed my mind to sleep on a bench in the church since I had no other way.

I was walking around the church until I met a backpacker like me, walking on the street without destination so we had a conversation, he is Jeffrey from France, like me, he was planning to spent his night in the McDonald too. He is 21 years old, started backpack travelling since he was 18, wow. At last, both of us ended up miserable and homeless, but luckily, he got a tent with him. So, we set up a tent in garden of the church at 1.30am.

I can't really sleep inside, I don't know why, like in the airport, I just don't feel sleepy in there. I think I napped for 30 minutes until 3.30am, when he had to leave to catch up a taxi as he got a flight to Hamilton later on.

So again, I'm homeless,

I was sitting in a bench where I met Jeffrey few hours ago, wondering where to go next. Thanks to my friend, spending 40 minutes to talk with me. I don't know why I don't feel like crying or anything, if there's something, I think I felt calm more than nervous, it is a really safe country, not much of people around so I'm all alone in the street, it's not a main street by the way, just a small street. After that 40 minutes talk with my friend, I changed my socks and pants before moving on. Well, I changed them in public but that place is not really visible, it is darker so nobody will see it. Yes I know it's crazy.

I spend the next 2 hours in the petrol station convenience store until 7.00am to catch my bus departing to Motueka. The guy in the convenience store is kind enough to let me charge my phone with his adapter. Great.